THERE will be major disruption on the trains between Oxford and London Paddington this weekend. From 8am Saturday and all day on Sunday no trains will run between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington, meaning those wanting to travel from Oxford
A HANDBAG containing cash and bank cards was stolen from a car.Between 2.45pm and 4.15pm on Wednesday the items were stolen from a car in Crescent Road.A similar incident occurred in Barton Village Road on the same day where another handbag was stolen
DRIVERS queued for miles following a five-vehicle crash on the A34. One lane had been blocked northbound near the Peartree Interchange during Thursday's evening rush hour. Rush hour traffic started to back up beyond the Botley Interchange,
A PUB in Oxford city centre will reopen this month following a major refurbishment.Pints will be pulled again at the Castle on Castle Street on Friday, September, 22 at 6pm. The main bar inside the1892 building has been re-modelled, revealing some of
DO you have the voice to help light up the city’s Christmas Light Festival?It may only be September but Oxford City Council are urging choirs from across the county to get in touch to be a part of the holiday celebrations.The Light Festival itself will
THE ‘breath-taking’ response from armed forces and police officers in the county has been praised after their part in relief operations in the Caribbean. More than 70 personnel plus five Thames Valley Police officers - including Barton neighbourhood
A HEALTH watchdog has praised the compassion and confidence of staff at a care home in Oxford.During a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in August, Wytham House was rated ‘good’ overall.Inspectors found that residents felt safe and their needs
AN OXFORD MP has asked her second question of the Prime Minister in two weeks. Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon expressed sympathy for the children affected by hurricane Irma before quizzing Theresa May on the dangers of leaving the single
THERE is less than a week left for young artists to showcase their skills by entering Chiltern Railways' timetable competition.Winning designs will be printed on the covers of the Winter/Spring 2017-2018 timetables and seen by thousands of customers
RESIDENTS will get a blast from the past at an exhibition about the Second World War at the weekend.On both Saturday and Sunday from 10am, Cumnor Old School in High Street, Cumnor, will be hosting the event, which explores what living in Botley was like
THE Prince’s Trust is set to expand into Oxford to help youngsters find employment. Led by charity ‘Inner Flame’, the Prince’s Trust programme to help 16-25-year-olds find employment will launch in the city later this month. The programme will
THREE birdies in four holes on the front nine gave Eddie Pepperell a two-under-par 69 in the first round of the KLM Open in Spijk, Holland. The Abingdon golfer's birdie burst came after he dropped a shot at the second hole. After going out
SCREEN star Claire Foy, who trained as an actress at a West Oxfordshire drama school, has spoken of her leading role in new movie Breathe.Miss Foy was at Oxford School of Drama in Woodstock on a one-year acting course from 2006 to 2007.The actress and
THE first Heritage Open Day to be staged at St Edburg’s Church was hailed as a success after more than 200 people took part.Parishioners enjoyed a host of Bicester history-related displays, re-enactments, guides and talks and children’s activities.It
THE new head of a prestigious Oxford school repeated the words of a famous wizard in his first assembly.Crispin Hyde-Dunn took his position as the 11th headmaster of the Dragon School this week, and chose to inspire pupils by quoting Albus Dumbledore.Reiterating
FITNESS fans are invited to head along to the Whitelands Farm Sports Ground open day.The new sports ground at Kingsmere in Bicester is expected to be complete over the coming weeks in time for the first open day on Saturday, September 30.People will be
SUPPORT sessions for young people not in education, employment or training are being held across Oxfordshire.Weekly drop-in sessions have been launched at community centres in Banbury, Bicester, Witney, Barton, Blackbird Leys, Rose Hill, Abingdon and
PLANS for up to £20,000 of improvement works to be made at the Bicester Town Council offices will be put to councillors.A recent survey of The Garth, off Launton Road, found thousands of pounds worth of improvements were needed to tackle issues such as
A SCHOOL offering specialist support for pupils with dyslexia has been praised for making ‘marked improvements’. The Unicorn School in Abingdon has bounced back from an earlier Ofsted rating of requires improvement, earning an overall rating of good after
THE first Heritage Open Day to be staged at St Edburg's Church has been dubbed a success after more than 200 people took part.Parishioners enjoyed a host of Bicester history-related displays, re-enactments, guides and talks and children's activities.It
A LONG-STANDING Bicester-based bakery business has become the first to snap up a new warehouse being built off Skimmingdish Lane.British Bakels, which specialises in supplying firms with baking ingredients, has pre-purchased an 80,000sqft unit to expand
A PROFESSOR at Oxford Brookes University has been nominated for the prestigious Indianapolis Prize 2018 for her pioneering conservation work and research.Regarded as the world’s leading award for animal conservation, the Indianapolis Prize recognises
AN advice charity in Oxford has announced the date of its annual general meeting.The city’s branch of Citizens Advice Bureau, which provides free guidance about topics such as benefits and consumer rights, will meet on Tuesday, October 17.The public meeting
A PRIVATE school near Faringdon wants to extend and refurbish its sports hall. St Hugh’s School in Carswell has applied for permission to replace changing rooms and build a new swimming pool and rooms offering flexible space for teaching or performances.In
A DRUG dealing addict who found himself back in the dock for a second time for dealing cannabis has been spared jail – provided he kicks the habit for good.Samuel Jeffs, of Padbury Drive, Banbury, was previously jailed in 2015 for 14 months for possession
CHILDREN'S author Beatrix Potter and her beloved creations will be explored in a talk tomorrow.It will be given by Anney Harris, co-founder of The Beatrix Potter Society, and cover all aspects of the writer's life, from her privileged upbringing
MOTORCYCLISTS are being urged not to ride around beauty spot Radley Lakes near Abingdon.The Earth Trust manages Thrupp Lake and volunteers in the Friends of Radley Lakes group help with conservation work.Thames Valley Police said there has been an increase
A DEVELOPER has lodged more details for a 38-home estate near Wantage. Mactaggart & Mickel Homes England is due to submit a reserved matters planning application to Vale of White Horse District Council, for the homes at Challow Park.The housebuilder has
FUNDRAISERS, including daredevil grandmother Trish Wagstaff, have been celebrated at an Abingdon charity's annual awards ceremony.The Against Breast Cancer Achievement Awards honoured the successes and achievements of people young and old who have
COUNCILS are ramping up a campaign to stop people putting food waste into rubbish bins.Recycling advisers from South Oxfordshire District Council and the Vale of White Horse District Council will be hitting the streets of southern Oxfordshire as part
IT has been a long wait, but shoppers in Wallingford could soon be about to welcome a second supermarket to the town, bringing 40 new jobs.Hopes were high there would be a rival to Waitrose in St Martin’s Street when Morrisons was given planning permission
CHARITIES in North Oxford dedicated to social justice will come together on Saturday.The Fairplay Social Justice Fair will feature stalls from the various groups, as well as talks, music, cakes and children’s activities.It has been organised by Fairplay
The number of care providers in Oxfordshire rated as “outstanding” by national inspectors has hit record levels with four new top ratings awarded in the last month alone.The latest ratings published by the Care Quality Commission show that Oxfordshire
A PIONEER in public transport who founded the Oxford Tube has died in Barbados aged 75. Harry Blundred’s impassioned work saw him break ground in the world of buses – launching successful services both across England and in Australia. His innovative approach
SOME 20 local businesses in Banbury and Bicester have signed up to offer free tap water refills.The new refill scheme was launched with the help of Banbury MP Victoria Prentis last week.It is branded as a way of cutting litter levels and protecting the
TENS of thousands of forms have been delivered to all households in Cherwell in a bid to update the electoral register. The annual canvass requires all eligible voters to confirm or update their details on the electoral register.If any information has
ELECTRIC blanket owners in Oxfordshire are being urged to get them tested for free to check whether they have become faulty.Oxfordshire County Council warn that if the condition of the blanket is allowed to deteriorate, they could lead to injury and fire.Blanket
A NEW free food festival will take place for the first time on Sunday, September, 24. The Big Feed promises fun & food and is taking place at Banbury Academy from 11am to 4pm.Visitors can enjoy a free lunch, watch food films at the cinema and watch live
THE next Harry Kane or Marcus Rashford could be found in Blackbird Leys if a new development programme for promising young footballers proves to be a success. Trials are being held next week for children aged seven to 11 to join WR Soccer School's
DELVE into the science of the brain tomorrow at Oxford's Natural History Museum with a free talk .Neuroscientists will share their research and give a demonstration of some of their findings from 2.30pm.For more information visit oum.ox.ac.uk
FOR well over a decade Derren Brown has been wowing audiences with mind-bending psychological illusions that have earned him a reputation as one of the country’s most exciting entertainers.His stage shows have been highly acclaimed, and so for fans of
HUNDREDS of pounds were raised to help the city's homeless as women came together to swap unwanted clothing in Oxford.The event was organised by the Sisterhood group, who all attend Hillsong Church together, in response to the rise in homelessness
THE OXFORD Art Society will launch its annual open exhibition today. Taking place at the Cloister Gallery in Saint John the Evangelist Church in Iffley Road, it includes work created by members of the society. The exhibition also features a young artist
ANDRE Chavagnon, who has died aged 85, was a multi-award-winning chef whose La Sorbonne restaurant was visited by stars such as Sir Paul McCartney and Princess Diana.Mr Chavagnon's restaurant in High Street, Oxford, was a regular in the Michelin Guide
A NURSING home in Bloxham has become the first of its kind in England to be rated outstanding in every area by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).Inspectors visited Godswell Park care home in July and found that it was 'outstanding' – the highest
RESEARCHERS at Oxford Brookes University who studied how older people in the UK experience cycling have won a national town planning award.They took home the top prize in the Academic Award category at the 2017 Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) Awards
THE FINISHING touches have been added to a new £6m care home in central Banbury. The 73-bed purpose built Highmarket House in North Bar Place will welcome its first residents from Monday, September 25.Featuring a cinema and cafe, the new home has been
SISTER Frances Dominica tells the story of Helen & Douglas House in Oxford, which she founded in 1982 after being inspired by terminally ill two-year-old Helen Worswick. The nun, who was made an OBE in 2006 for services to healthcare, remains greatly
A MAN inspired by his younger brother to embark on a career in social care is now continuing the caring legacy his parents started.For three years Christopher Dunn has been at the helm of Laurel Leaf Support Ltd in Witney, which provides support and care
Luke Champion at The Hollybush in Witney talks us through his new sandwich shop and deliSituated directly opposite The Hollybush in Witney is an old Chapel. So when the site became available it was a no brainer for myself and Alex Vaughn, the landlords
COMMUTERS are being warned to watch out for more than 7,000 prospective Oxford University students arriving in the city centre for an open day. Undergraduate applicants and their families will be visiting Oxford tomorrow as the university's colleges
The Rookery, a name I find it impossible to utter without injecting a Monty Pythonesque W, passed the test within minutes of walking in. The new cafe is situated below a hairdressers in Faringdon, a most unlikely location for Sarah & Robert
Tim Hughes talks to Ian Hislop about bringing the satirical Wipers Times to the stage It is early 1916, in the very depths of the First World War. Europe is in flames and millions of people have perished in what has developed into a bitter
FIVE marine businesses from the county are exhibiting at the Southampton Boat Show, which starts tomorrow. These include Williams Jet Tenders which designs and builds boats which sell for £15,000 to £100,000 from its base in Berinsfield. Another is Bicester-based
FOLLOWING a turbulent summer for British ice hockey which briefly saw Oxford City Stars on the brink of collapse, the club is raring to get their new campaign under way this weekend. A complicated restructure of the league system nearly forced the Stars
A NEW £10 banknote celebrating Jane Austen has entered circulation today and will start to show up in people's pockets in the coming weeks. The new tenner is the first Bank of England banknote with a tactile feature to help blind and partially-sighted
FOR fifty years Gemma Levine has been behind the lens, photographing some of the world's most famous faces.But now the Chipping Norton resident is stepping into the spotlight to raise awareness of a little-known condition she suffers from called Lymphoedema
‘PATHETIC’ pay rises to public sector workers will see further cuts to services for people in Oxfordshire, it has been warned. Chief constable Francis Habgood said the decision by the Government to scrap the seven-year public sector pay cap would
OXFORD City Stars stalwart and club captain Darren Elliott believes the club is stronger than ever.Oxford-born Elliott, 37, who is entering his 17th season at the club, has experienced many highs and lows over the years.And he believes Stars are on the
A CALL has gone out for people to sign up as B&B-style fosterers for a charity's clever canines.Dogs for Good, in Banbury, is urging volunteers to come forward to look after their assistance dogs in training, who are destined to make a big difference
OXFORD City Stars have pledged a commitment to fostering youth development, as they laid out their vision for the club this week. Stars bolstered their board in the close season with the appointments of former Oxford United director Greig Box Turnbull
A GROUP responsible for reviewing health decisions in Oxfordshire will meet today.The Oxfordshire Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) will sit in public at County Hall from 10am. Among items on the agenda is the decision to close Deer
RECORD-BREAKING all-rounder Anupam Sanklecha returned to India reflecting on a memorable season for Shipton-under-Wychwood.The 35-year-old overseas star, known as ‘Pam’, was almost unplayable in this year’s Home Counties Premier League.Sanklecha broke
Thousands of people explored the city's hidden treasures over the weekend as poor weather failed to dampen Oxford Open Doors. Some of the city's most historic buildings, and newest architectural wonders were opened to the public as the Oxford Preservation
THE FUTURE of Abingdon Community Hospital will be discussed today at a meeting between Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran and Health Minister Steven Brine.Ms Moran will be asking for a guarantee from the Government that patients will not face bed
FESTIVAL season has finally run its course, ending with a bang at big muddy Bestival at the weekend. But there’s time to catch one last al fresco music event before autumn descends.Binsey Village Fete, which takes place on Saturday, has been a fixture
BLEWBURY trainer Eve Johnson Houghton celebrated her first winner in Ireland when Ice Age completed a hat-trick by landing a valuable prize at the Curragh. The four-year-old, who recorded back-to-back wins at Windsor last month including the Sky Bet-sponsored
DRIVERS faced lengthy delays on the M40 southbound after a car fire blocked the carriageway. Traffic reports showed delays of about half an hour for drivers on the London-bound carriageway. Two lanes were closed until about 8am between J7 for
WALLINGFORD RC enjoyed their most successful World Masters Regatta in Bled, Slovenia, recording a dozen wins, writes John Wiggins.The club’s women were in tremendous form, with Charles Parry the sole male to enjoy success.One of nearly 5,000 competitors
DIDCOT’S vision for a ‘Garden Town’ could miss out on £240m worth of government funding if councils fail to agree on their approach to bidding for the money.Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) is preparing a bid to the government’s £2.3 billion Housing Infrastructure
During his 50+ years in the French film industry, Bertrand Tavernier has done a little bit of everything. Starting out as an adolescent fan, he wrote criticism, worked as an on-set assistant and served as a publicist before graduating to directing. He
The media recently had a field day when British actor Ed Skrein withdrew from Neil Marshall's forthcoming reboot of Hellboy because of the Asian origins of Major Ben Daimio. While Daniel Dae Kim took over the role with relatively little fanfare, hands
OXFORD United’s performances in the last week have shown they are ahead of schedule, according to manager Pep Clotet. His side produced some thrilling attacking football in back-to-back home games, where they went so close to taking six points.
There was a joke about `spoiler alerts' on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue recently. Host Jack Dee revealed that Lionel Blair had taken a small part in Richard Lester's Beatle romp, A Hard Day's Night (1964), and proceeded to issue an alert warning listeners
COUNTY council leader Ian Hudspeth left his Range Rover at home - and his cycling helmet - as he promoted Cycle to Work Day. Mr Hudspeth borrowed an electric bike from the Broken Spoke Bike Co-op to join county council staff in the rush-hour heading
EDDIE Pepperell competes the KLM Open in the Netherlands today with confidence high after claiming a share of fifth place at the Czech Masters earlier this month. The 26-year-old, from Abingdon, who has twice finished in the top five in this tournament
HEADINGTON A crowned a record-breaking season by adding the Bridle Insurance Oxfordshire League Cup to their trophy cabinet.Having already secured the Division 1 title and the Hawker Cup, Headington won an unprecedented fourth successive League Cup with
DUNCAN Talbot is celebrating his fourth successive UK Civil Services Championships high jump title after victory in the M60 category at the Longford Park Stadium, Manchester. In wet conditions, the Abingdon athlete, who was competing for the Department
BLEWBURY trainer Eve Johnson Houghton celebrated her first winner in Ireland when Ice Age completed a hat-trick by landing a valuable prize at the Curragh. The four-year-old, who recorded back-to-back wins at Windsor last month including the Sky Bet-sponsored
THE county will bid for more than £280m of transport improvements to the north and west of the city, including the long-awaited dualling of the A40, to deal with proposed housing growth.Two separate bids – one worth £152m north of Oxford and the other
SOME of the biggest names in eventing descend on Oxfordshire this week for the Ssang Yong Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. Zara Tindall has entered a horse in three classes. She will compete against fellow Olympic medallists William
NORTH Oxford band Glass Animals will find out tonight whether they have won the most coveted award in British rock.The band, which formed at St Edward’s School, Woodstock Road, are shortlisted for their second album How To Be A Human Being. They are up
MOTHER-of-three Helen Wright remembers the moment she started her campaign for flexible working. It was in a local children’s playground near Bicester. She said: “I was pushing my small children on the swings when I looked around and it suddenly
LAWYERS from Oxford firm Royds Withy King advised biotech company Oxford Genetics on a £7.5m investment to fund a new US office and boost research in the UK. Jennifer Sampson and Tony Roberts from the corporate and commercial team worked with Oxford
PEOPLE who want to leave money to a good cause in their Will are being urged to make sure the gift can be used as they intended. The advice comes from Oxford-based law firm Blake Morgan ahead of Remember a Charity Week, which runs from now until
OXFORD United and the club’s supporters’ trust OxVox have urged fans to stop setting off smoke bombs. Unwanted incidents at recent games with Gillingham and Milton Keynes Dons have prompted the release of a strong joint statement. It is a reminder
Banbury MagistratesRICHARD MESSER, 44, of Alvescot Road, Carterton, admitted driving above the legal alcohol limit with 141 mcg of alcohol in 100ml of breath. He was fined £120 and must pay a victim surcharge of £30 and court costs of £85. Disqualified
STAFF and customers at Tesco Metro in East Oxford will today celebrate the store’s 50th birthday.Service manager Michelle Witts, who has worked at the Cowley Road branch since she left school in 1985, will lead the celebrations.Staff regularly volunteer
THE latest wave of bed closures across the county's hospitals has raised 'deep concerns' with a health watchdog, with nearly 300 beds now out of action.'Staffing pressures' have forced a health trust to temporarily close 92 beds, along
ANYONE wanting to snap-up a former toilet block in Witney will need to spend more than a penny. The one-time public convenience, which has been transformed into a glamorous home by a local architect, is on the market for a cool half-a-million.
